Getting Around Romania: Airports, Transfers and Driving Tips

Choosing the right airport for your trip

Romania's geography rewards a bit of upfront planning. Land at the wrong airport and you could add hours to your journey; choose well and you'll be sipping coffee in Brasov before your bags have properly settled.

Henri Coanda International, just outside Bucharest, is still the country's main gateway and the busiest by far. It handles the widest range of international connections, so if you're combining a night or two in the capital with time in Transylvania, this is usually your entry point. Expect a drive of roughly two to three hours from Bucharest to Bran or Brasov, depending on traffic and where exactly you're headed.

But Bucharest isn't the only sensible option, and increasingly it isn't even the best one for travellers whose real destination is the mountains.

Why Brasov's airport is worth booking directly

Brasov-Ghimbav has quietly become one of the smartest ways into Transylvania. It sits close enough to Bran and Moeciu that you can be checking into your stay within 30 to 45 minutes of touchdown, with none of the Bucharest ring-road traffic to contend with.

What's changed recently is the sheer choice of routes. Wizz Air has expanded its Brasov network significantly across 2025 and 2026, adding around ten new connections and increasing frequency on existing ones. For travellers based in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, this means more direct options than ever before, and less need to route everything through the capital. If your holiday is really about Bran Castle, the mountain villages around Moeciu, or hiking in the Carpathians, flying directly to Brasov is worth checking before you default to Bucharest.

Sibiu, the other regional shortcut

Sibiu International is the other airport worth knowing about. It sits just five kilometres from the city centre, which makes it one of the most conveniently placed airports anywhere in Europe. If your itinerary leans towards southern Transylvania, the Fagaras Mountains, or a slower loop through Sibiu and Sighisoara before heading north, this is a genuinely efficient entry point.

Flying private: Baneasa for a quieter arrival

For those arriving by private jet or preferring a calmer, more discreet process, Bucharest's Baneasa Aurel Vlaicu Airport serves as the city's dedicated business aviation hub. It sits about 8.5 kilometres from the centre and offers proper FBO facilities with VIP handling, so you skip the queues and scale of Otopeni entirely. It's a small but meaningful difference if you're travelling with family, on a tight schedule, or simply prefer a low-key start to a luxury stay.

Arranging transfers

However you arrive, book your transfer in advance rather than relying on airport taxi ranks, particularly at Otopeni where pricing and queuing can be inconsistent. A private transfer arranged through your accommodation or a reputable local operator will cost more than a metered taxi but removes the guesswork, and drivers familiar with the mountain roads around Bran and Moeciu tend to know the smartest routes and rest stops.

At Jet Crust, we help guests staying in our Transylvania properties plan transfers that match their arrival airport, whether that's Bucharest, Brasov or Sibiu, so the journey feels like part of the holiday rather than an obstacle before it.

Driving in Romania: what to actually expect

Romania's motorway network has expanded steadily, and the A3 corridor connecting Bucharest towards Transylvania has genuinely improved journey times compared to a decade ago. That said, large stretches of the route from Bucharest into the Carpathians still run on well-maintained but single-carriageway national roads, particularly once you're climbing towards Bran or Moeciu. Budget more time than a map suggests, especially in summer weekends and around Peles Castle, when traffic through the mountain passes can slow considerably.

A few practical points worth knowing before you hire a car:

• Vignette required: Romania uses an electronic road vignette (rovinieta) for all national roads, not just motorways. Buy it online before you drive, ideally before you even land.
• Mountain roads demand respect: Roads through the Carpathians are scenic but often narrow, with hairpins, slow-moving lorries and the occasional horse-drawn cart. Drive to the road, not the speed limit.
• Winter conditions: If travelling between November and March, check that your hire car has appropriate tyres, and be prepared for sudden weather changes at altitude.
• Fuel stops: Once off the main routes, fuel stations thin out. Fill up before heading into rural stretches around Bran, Moeciu or the Fagaras foothills.
• Parking in old towns: Historic centres like Brasov and Sibiu have restricted or pedestrianised zones. Check with your accommodation about parking arrangements before arriving.

Putting it together

The smartest itineraries now often skip Bucharest altogether if the goal is Transylvania. Flying into Brasov or Sibiu, arranging a private transfer for the final short leg, and driving only the scenic mountain sections yourself tends to give the best balance of comfort and adventure. Whichever route you choose, building in a little extra time for the drive, rather than treating it as a formality, usually turns out to be one of the better decisions of the trip.